Coin-controlled timing device for electrically-actuated refrigerators and like machines



June 10, 1930. R- SAUSE 1,762,354

COIN CONTROLLED TIMING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED REFRIGERATORSAND LIKE MACHINES Filed DSG. 19, 1928 7 INVENTOR /7/Y0//AW0 .52m52-ATTORNEY 50 Referring now to these drawings, \w

` Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD SAU'SE,v 0FNEW YORKN. Y.

com-conrnonnnn mmm@ nnvrcn non. nLEc'rRIcALLY-ACTUATED nnrnrcnnarons AnnLIKE MACHINES Application led December 19,` 192B. Serial No. 326,916.

This invention relates to improvements in coin-controlled timing devicesfor electrically-actuated refrigerators and like machines. i

l! One of' the objects of this invention is to provide a coin-controlledtiming device by which electrically-actuated refrigerators, radioapparatus and likemachines may be op- 4erated during a predeterminedperiod of time for a coin of given denomination.

Still another object of my invention is to provide in a coin-'controlledelectrically-actuated device a without the use of springs or otherintricate timing mechanism,rat a predetermined pe- With these and otherobjects in view, the

invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement ofpartsso combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in theperformance of the functions and the accomplishment of the resultsherein con- V' templated, and comprisesin one of its adaptations thespecies or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying myinvention being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the' directionof the arrow;

3 is a side elevation of the timing device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2, looking in the directionof the arrow;

Fig. 5.is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, looking in the directionof the arrow and Fig; 6 1s a section on the'llne 6-6 of Fig. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrow. h h

timing element which will,`

illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, 1 indicates asuitable support which may be a part of a box or the like within whichthe apparatus is mounted so as to be completely enclosed andinaccessible except for exposure of the coin slot 2 and the operatinghandle 3. l

In the preferred embodiment shown, an electric circuit E is closed bythe depositing through the slot 2 of a coin and my device is arranged tobreakor open said circuit at the end of a predetermined period of timeafter the closing of the circuit. As illustrated, a coin C when passedthrough the coin slot 2 will be held in the position shown in dottedlines in the throat of the coin chute 4 and the coin C being releasableso as to drop into circuit-making position as shown in full lines at thebottom of Fig. 1, the coin C in this case forming the contactorvbridging element between the circuit contact points or terminals 5and 6 respectively, the opposite legs 7 and 8 of the circuit E being, asshown, conn nected to insulated portions 9 and 10 of the coin-chute 4.lAs illustrated, these portions 76 9 and 10 are insulated by a suitablepiece of insulationll which completely insulates the two portions 9 and10 from each other and enables these portions to act 'as terminals forthe opposite legs 7 and 8 of a suitable electric circuit. Asillustrated, I have mounted on one of said portions and preferably in`the portion 10 a coin-stop 12 having a projecting portion 12 extendingthrough a slot 12*1 in the said portion 10.

When a coin so deposited assumes the position at the lower end of thecoin chute, as illustrated in full lines, the electric circuit t E willbe closed across the terminals 7 and 8.

This coin-stop 12, as illustrated, in resilientlymoved intocoin-engaging position by a flat spring 13 mounted on the casing and, asshown, abutting against a piece of insulation 13 on the coin-stop 1 2.'The coinstop 12 is movable into and out of the path of the coin torelease the same and permit it to fall by gravity into a suitablereceptacle not shown.

The switch S in the circuit E is normally retained in closed position bythe contact wn member 14'which is insulated from and disposed at the endof one arm 15 of a lever 15 pivoted at 16, thepcontact member 14 beingnormally moved into contact-making position by a weight 17 adjustablymounted on the y,said arm 15.

Obviously if the contact member 14 is moved out of contact-makingposition, the switch S will be opened and the circuit will be broken sothat no more current will flow through the legs 7 8 of the electric.circuit E to operate the motor for' the refrigerator, or to supplycurrent for a radio or other device Which it is desired to operate. Asillustrated, the making of the electric circuit E is arranged to start amotor M for operation of a refrigerating machine. Current is suppliedfrom any suitable source of supply not shown, and when it is necessaryto operate radio apparatus or other similar device, the motor M may beomitted.

It is' often desirable to permit operation of an electric refrigerator,radio apparatus .or like machine for a predetermined period f of timeonly and in order to accomplish thls end, in the preferred embodimentillustrated,

1t 1s necessary to break the circuit by the opening of the switch S. Ihave,tlierefore, utilized a Qtiming element for this purpose which isextremely simple and accurate and eliminates the manifold springs andcog wheels usually incident to clock mechanisms.

I provide a sand-actuated time-measuringl element T havingoppositely-disposed compartments 18, 18 communicating through aSand-drip vaperture 20. The liineness of said aperture 20 vand the sandcapacityof the de vice will determine the time necessary for the sand topass through the aperture 20 from one compartment into the other. As'

shown, sand in the compartmentv 18 passes into the compartment 18 andthe weight of a full load of sand in the compartment 18 will depress thelever 15a against the action of the weight 17. This depression of thelever 15 Will move the contact element 14 out of contact-makingrelationship lwith the switch S,

which, 'of course, breaks the circuit E and stops the iiow of current.

Now in order to enable the maldng and breaking ofthis circuit betweenthe switch contact members s, s to be quick-acting, I

q provide the velement 14 with a notch 14 and also provide the switch Swith a bent contact element sfwhich ts into said notch. It will beobvious that when a predetermined weight of sand is applied on the lever15a the weight 17 will be overbalanced and the memnotch 14 ber 14 willbe disengaged from the switch S, and this disengagement will, in view ofthe and bent contact element s', be caused to 'act quickly and thusavoid arcing.

In the position of the parts shown in Fig.

' 1, the circuit is closed and the sand 21 is passing fromthecompartment 18 which is lbehind another tooth 25 same. The, compartments18, 18 are provided with slidable globes 22, 22 held withiny the casingT by screw-threaded rings T', T2 which are of a length less than thelength of the casing compartments 18, 18 and the inner end of whichlimits the outward movement of the slidable globes 22, 22 and when thetiming element T is irst moved into the position illustrated, the globeof the compartment which is lowermost at the time will rest upon the arm15a of the lever 15. When the timing element has been moved to the(position shown, and as a load of sand 21 suiiicient to balance theweight 17 enters the sliding globe 22', it will be depressed into thedotted line position shown at 22a and in such position will depress thearm 15a of the lever 15 raising the opposite arm 15 and opening theswitch S. The timing element T is mounted for movement in one directiononly by the handle 3. As illustrated, the said velement is mounted on aspindle -23 supported at one end on a bracket 23 and at the other endhas a fast connection with a bearing cup 24 whichi, is fast on a spindle24 supported in the boit 1 and to which the handle 3 is connected by ascrew 3. Thecasing T ofthe timing element has xed thereto a ratchetwheely 25- having teeth 25. A disc 26, having a stop 26 adapted toengage at each half rotation with pins 27, 27', is mounted on thespindle 24 and carries a spring-pressed pawl 28 normally interlockingwith one of the teeth 25 on the pawl wheel 25, so that when the disc 26is rotated a half turn by the handle 3, it will carry the box or casingT with it a half turn. The spring 29 will be wound up during such manualmovement of the handle and will thereupon reversely rotate the handleand the ydisc 26 so that the pawl 28 will engage on the-disc 25 and thusbe ready to cause the next half turning movement of the timing elementor box T. The pawl mechanism hereinabove described will thus causerotation of the timing element T in one. direction only by the handle 3.

AsA above indicated, the circuit E will be made by the movement of thecoin C intothe position between the terminal portions 5 and 6respectively and the coin will remain in position until released. Thisis accomplished 4depression of the lever arm 12b will raise the contact12 and release the coin C which will then fall by gravity int-o areceptacle not shown.. It will, therefore, be' necessary to insert a newcoinin order to procure additional 'operation Y of\the' motor oradditional ice electric current 'Rotary movement of the ed lever l5 andimmediately cause a remaking of the circuit at the switch S. Immediatelythereafter, however, the depression of the lever 12b will cause thelifting of the contact 12, the release of the coin C and the breaking ofthe circuit at this point. Movement of the element T, therefore, willcause an automatic `closing of the switch S and an opening of thecircuit through the coin. In order to prevent a full movement of the boxT before a coin is inserted, I preferably provide a Weighted lever 31pivoted at 31 and having attached at the pivoted point an arm 31dprovided with a Weight 31?, and alsoA having its lower end 31aprojecting into the path of movement of the box. v While the oppositeend 31" has its nose 31c projecting through the slot tinto the path ofthe coin so that a movement into the box of the coin will depress theend 31a of the lever`31 out of the path of the box T and permit aturning thereof when a coin is inserted but until such a coin isinserted will block an inverting movement of the timing element T.

Assuming now that a coin is deposited and assumes the position C shownat the top of Fig. 1, the nose 31c of the lever 31 will, by the coin, bepressed outwardly and the end 31a will thus be moved out of the path ofi movement of the box. The box may then be rotated and in its furtherrotary movement engage an arm 30b of a lever 30 pivoted at 30a on thecoin-chute and normally held in' operative position by a spiral spring30c stretched between a suitable pin 30d on the coin-chute and anintermediate eye 30e onthe said lever. Withdrawing the end 30 of saidlever out of the path of the coin Willthen cause it to' fall into theposition shown in full lines at the bottom of Fig. 1, to connect thecircuit across the terminals 5 and 6. Further movement of the box willcause the globes 22 to be positioned over the end 15a of the lever 15and sand will immediately begin to pass through the drip opening 20 intothat compartment. In order to maintain one of the casings T .in properoperative position over the lever 15a, I preferably provide the box withtracks 32, 32 fixed on the box and adapted to contact with aspring-pressed ball 33 mounted in a cage 34 and to guide the same intoone of the sockets 35, 35 in said tracks.

In operation, therefore, the user, in order to vobtain additionaloperation of the motor or additional current through the circuit E willpass a coin through the slot 2. This coin will move the nose 31outwardly and will be brought to rest in the dotted line position indicated at C against the end 30 of a lever 30. Movement of the timingelement T by the handle will release the coin from the dotted lineposition C and cause it to drop into circuit-making position between.the terminals and also cause the positioning of the sand-drippingcompartments to producea breaking of the circuit across the switch atsaid switch at the end of the movement of a predetermined quantity ofsand through'said aperture, a weighted lever normally operative to closesaid switch and operable by the Weight of sand in one of -saidcompartments to overbalance said weight and open the circuit, means formanually rotating said tim- 4ing element in one direction and preventingrotation in the opposite direction, and coincontrlled means releasableby the movement of said timing element for closing said circuit at adiierent point.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoingspecification.

RICHARD SAUSE.

